Adopting Systems Engineering Approach to a Feasibility Study of Siding Development at Midsomer Norton Station

It is planned to reopen Midsomer Norton Railway Station, which is a station on the Somerset & Dorset Heritage Railway Line, to traffic. As a first step, Midsomer Norton will be a terminus and it is proposed to build a siding and a depot for the terminating trains. However, a ground investigation is essential before commencing construction of the siding and the depot, as it is a vital part of any civil engineering process. The ground's behaviour must be known in order for a structure to be supported by it, therefore data from the ground investigation is a reference for any kind of structures development. This study covers a site investigation including a desk study, walkover survey, sampling and laboratory testing for the feasibility of a suitable design. Moisture content testing, liquid limit and plastic limit tests, standard compaction testing, shear vane tests and triaxial compression tests were carried out to determine the soil characteristics and to analyse the soil behaviour. A strong recommendation was made to follow systems engineering approach in the construction phase, as well as the design stage. Dependability of the system is ensured by the good use of V – process of systems engineering.